Bye Bye, Baby
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and fifty-four: As inspired by the deleted scene image, Puck finds comfort in the glee club after Beth is born.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th cycle. Now cycle 13!_

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**"Bye Bye, Baby"  
Puck & Beth & Will  
As inspired by the deleted scene pic of Puck and the club... wish I could link it...**

Quinn had asked if he wanted to hold her… Looking at the baby girl resting in her arms, just gazing up at her in wonder, he felt… afraid. What if he hurt her? What if she cried? What if he cried?

"Okay…" he'd finally agreed with a shaky breath. He'd taken a step forward, watching as Quinn so carefully took hold of the newborn. Absently, he wiped his hands on the gown before getting closer, putting out his arms to take hold of her as Quinn placed her there, begging he watch her head. He nodded, keeping his eyes on the tiny girl… There she was, real, in his arms… He could never have prepared for that feeling even if he tried.

She looked about for a while, but then her eyes had found him, and they weren't letting go. He didn't know how to respond… From the moment she'd been born, he'd been experiencing these moments, feeling himself smiling and crying all at once; his face must have looked odd.

He wanted to say something, but his mind wouldn't focus. He'd just look at this pretty little thing, his baby daughter… He knew it'd probably be the only time he'd ever get to hold her. He hadn't asked Quinn what she intended to do, but deep down he knew… this was his one moment.

When they took her back, he had to step out of the room. He ran his hand over his head, neck, face… He breathed out… He didn't understand how to be. It was an odd sort of feeling, but that was what it was, like… shock. He was walking and he had not one idea as to where he was going.

But then after a moment, just ahead, there they were… everyone else. They were just sitting around. It was Mr. Schuester who first saw him coming and got up. As soon as Puck had seen this, he was as good as on auto pilot. Will waved him in, and Puck bowed his head on to his shoulder, feeling hands passing on comfort to him… two hands, three… It wasn't all registering just yet.

All that was on his mind, as emotions conspired once more to turn his face into that of a distorted clown mask, was the event that had just taken place. He knew who he was and had been; he imagined he knew who he'd end up being after… But on this day he was and would always be a father, even if only for biology's sake.

He didn't remember when he'd come to sit down, but there he was, feeling the presence all around him of his fellow club members, his director. He sat there quietly, trapped in that world of his still. After a while he reached at the collar of his gown, pulling with a tug to get the gown off. He crumpled it in his hands… It was better than just sitting there.

"Why don't we go find where we can get rid of that?" Will patted his shoulder, giving a nod that asked 'do you want to talk?' Puck sighed and got up.

"Let's do that," he agreed. It was becoming easier now, talking… But then in front of everyone… As they walked, Puck continued to twist the gown between his fingers, keeping his hands busy. "I didn't tell her anything…" he'd finally started.

"Who, Quinn?" Will asked, but then understood… the baby. "Did you want to?" Puck sighed.

"I don't know… yes? It's not like she'd remember anyway," he went on the defensive for a moment, but then… "I missed my shot. Now I… It doesn't matter anymore."

"Yes it does," Will insisted slowly. Puck was quiet for a few seconds, one small but mighty bit of memory stuck in his head.

"She looked at me… looked right at me… I couldn't talk, I just…" he shook his head, "I just kept telling myself 'it's like she knows. She knows what's gonna happen now.'"

"So you know for sure, then?"

"No… not really. I haven't…" he stopped. "I just know."

"You can still go back, try and tell her again, whatever you want to say," Will tried, but Puck shook his head.

"Not again… can't do that… I mean, I could if I was…" he stopped, feeling he wasn't making sense. "I can't."

"You can still look at her, from whatever point you feel comfortable to do," Will pointed out. "You've got it all in there. You're not the same you were, not here… I think everyone knows that now…" Puck looked at him, and the teacher's words somehow got Quinn's face in his mind.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue," he nodded, getting up to see his baby girl, and her mother.

THE END


End file.
